TIIK ni-:in;t:nou. BB6 



There are wrenlspeciefc of this cmiou- animal. \\hirh an- remarkable for two or three pe< u 

 liariri. s of frm ami lial-if. 



I'lu external characteristic which 5mm< lintel] -mk.- ih.- :ii'. nti..n ..f :!,.- 1.. !,,,], |. i i> ti... 

 formidable array of I'li-tlin.: spines \\iih which the back is more or less covered, and which 

 offer* A ckfT*tuac-de-frise of sharp spikes i<. wards any animal that ma\ present itself an an 

 enemy. Another i-eciiliarity is tin- jiower i>o-.sess.-d hy these creatures of rolling themsehe* 

 into u roiiml l>all, liy placing the head on the breast, -li:i\\ ing up the legs, and curling the body 

 firmly round these memU-rs. Hy this ]>osture, the Hedgehogs render themselves invulnerable 

 t<. almost e\er\ animal that may attack tin-in, and defend tin- l.-irs. alMlomi-n. and other jK>r- 

 tions of th- IH ly that an- li-ft nn]>rot<-cti-d l>y nature. When in this curious attitude, the 

 ll.-dgehog cannot U- unrolled by main force, as long as any lif- n-mains in the Inxly, for there 

 is an enormously di-v-lo]Mil mux !-, with a very thick mar-in, which spreads over the back 

 and r-'iind tin- -i.;.-. and \\liich, when c..ntrarti-.l. holds the creature in HO firm an embrace 

 that it ill !H> torn in pieces rather than yield its point 



The trhnical name of this mn^-li- is i>niinv-nln carnfaii*, and it is by means of this 

 nni-i-1.- that Ix-ars and other animals are able to shake their skins when they are irritated by 

 an\ MI! stance that clings to the hair, and which they cannot reach with their to-tli. 



The Hilp-hoi:s are phintigrade in their guit, and, like the generality of plantigrade ani- 

 mals, are not particularly active or rapid in their movements. Although they p-nrnilly prefer 

 a delilH-mte pace when they are not alarmed or hurried, they can get over the ground with no 

 small speed when they f.i-1 thi-m-.-l\ ( -s ml!. .1 upon to make .such an exertion. 



The feet of the Hedp-hoir are furni-hi-d with live toes, those of the fore-feet terminated 

 with toli-raMy .strong claws, which, although not so evidently fossorial as those of the moles 

 and other insectivorous animals, an- \-t vi-ry capable of digging, and are used effectually for 

 that purpose. The soles of the ft-et are naked. The limbs and the entire nnder surface of thu 

 body are uiidi-f-nded l>y the stiff prickles which are so thickly set upon the hack, and are 

 doth. -d with hair of a more or less dense character, according to the particular species. In 

 :y -.jMS'irs, liowfvcr. tin- hair is of a peculiar character, and is intermixed with a goodly 

 nnmlxT of tolerably stiff hairs of a bristly character. 



The food of the Hedgehog consists chiefly of insects, worms, snails, and similar creatures, 

 but it is of essentially carnivorous taste, and is in no wise jarticulur what the kind of food 

 which it eats, provided that it be of an animal character. 



These details of form and habit are common to all the Hedgehogs ; and the other pecu 

 liarities of tin Krinacea, as these animals are learnedly nnm -d, will be mentioned in connection 

 u i'h the two species that will be figured and described in these pages. 



TIIK LONO-KAKKD Hi IM.I noo derives its name from the exceeding dinn-nsinns of its ears, 

 which project from its In-ad in such u manner as to give to the animal a very jiorcine asj>eet. 

 This span's is found in SiU-ria and in all the eastern regions of Asiatic Russia, and has also 

 IN-.-II captured in Egypt. It is a smaller animal than the common ll.-.lirehog of Kuro|.. Init is 

 \. iy varial>l<- in its dimensions, according to the locality in which it is found. The limbs are 

 r..m|iarative]\ IOIILT and slender, and the long hair that clothes the lower jKirtions of the body 

 N . \ir.-nn-ly tin in its texture. The array of prickly spines that guard its back does not 

 extend so far as in the European species, and are of a rather ]>eculiar coloring. At the hose, 

 each spine is marked with a whitish ring, the centre is brown, and the tip is tinted with yellow. 

 The color of the eye is bluish-gray. 



THK common Hi i.i HOG, HEDGE Pio, or I' in m\. is one of the most familiar of mam- 

 malia. Ix-ini; found wherever the country is cajiiible of affording food and shelter to him. 



The hard, round spin.-* which CI.VIT the upju-r part of its body are about an inch in 

 l.-n-th. and of a rather ]>eciiliar sha|-. This form is wonderfully adapted to meet ih.- 

 peculiar objects which the spine is intended to fulfil, as will !* .s^-n in the following 

 account. 



The spine-. He nearly horizontally upon the back of the animal, a position which they 



